crank1979
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Registered: 27/11/08
Posts: 212
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Reply with quote | #1 |
Loftus Oval
This is a good track for a fit beginner or someone just getting into mountainbiking, such as a significant other! I usually park in the Loftus Oval carpark but have also ridden from the other side by parking at the end of Gray's Point Rd.
The riding around the area of Loftus Oval is part of the Royal National Park. The National Park is permitting mountainbikers to ride certrain singletrack and firetrails in this area so they can assess the impact that mounatinbiking has on the parkland. There are often groups of volunteer mountainbikers who enter the area, with National Park permission, and perform maintenance on these tracks. Most of these mounatinbike specific tracks are marked with small signs, erected by the NPWS, to show the intended use of the trail.
So, stick to the tracks, don't cut corners, don't add or remove logs or rocks to make a section easier for yourself and whatever you take in you must take out. It's generally considered good trail etiquette to give way to riders coming uphill if you are riding down, mainly because it's obviously harder going for them. Although there migh be times when it's not possible to stop and let them pass; good luck. 
Park in the parking area next to Loftus Oval. If there is a soccer game going on and there is nowhere to park you should be able to park further down the road along Rawson Ave and then it's a quick ride to Loftus Oval, just be careful of traffic.
From the Loftus Oval carpark, get behind the closest goal posts and turn left towards the Tramlink railway tracks. Once you start seeing tracks you can follow them around and make up your own loops. There are a few steep firetrails that are covered in embedded and loose babies heads so be careful on those and then remember that you have to get back up, especially the ones leading to and from Temptation Creek. 
Just before the dip into the lower section of ground that the railway tracks run on i usually turn right and follow the singletrack as far as possible until it comes out on some firetrail. I don't have a specific loop for this area, i tend to just ride around, go fast down the hills and not so fast coming back up the hills. There is some excellent, flowing singletrack, but nothing that i would really call technical.
You can't really get lost in there. Go too far east and you'll hit roads at Gray's point. To the north is Kirrawee. West is the Princess Highway and Loftus Oval. South is more of the Royal National Park but a service trail runs right across from west to east so you should hit that before the Hacking River. It's really not hard to find your way back to the car. 
If you spend 3 hours in there exploring then you have probably riden every trail in there. I typically spend just over an hour riding around in there.
Don't ride this area if it has been raining. Give the ground a chance to dry out so you can enjoy it more. Even when it has been dry for a while there still tends to be some big puddles on some bits of singletrack. These can be fun if you know where they are and you are riding with someone who doesn't know what to expect.
When you arrive at the parking area near the end of the tramlink line, exit the carpark, corss the road and you'll see a trail entrance on you left. Ride through the gate next to the building in there and follow the firetrail parallel to Farnell Ave until you intersect with another firetrail. Turn left and ride parallel to the Princes Hwy until you get to another intersection (not the one entering the hwy). Continue right/straight and you will ride a loop that goes out to Heathecote and comes back to this intersection. From tis intersection follow the firetrail all the way back to Farnell Ave, ignoring the turn onto the firetrail you rode up earlier to go past the building. Cross farnell Ave into what has been described as the Blair Witch singletrack until you hit the tramlink rail line again. Follow the line to the left and back to the carpark or go through the singltrack again and end up back at the carpark that way.
Technical Rating: 2/5
Fun Rating: 3/5
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crank1979
Moderator
Registered: 27/11/08
Posts: 212
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Reply with quote | #2 |
Loftus is a very popular area for mtbing, so it obviously gets a fair bit of use. Over the last few months a group of riders in conjunction with the NPWS have been holding maintenance days. I believe they are generally on the third Saturday of each month and do not take up the whole day or start too early. As future detail arise i'll try to post them up so that if you are interested in helping maintain a track you might ride then you can.  |
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crank1979
Moderator
Registered: 27/11/08
Posts: 212
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crank1979
Moderator
Registered: 27/11/08
Posts: 212
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Reply with quote | #4 |
Quote: Info regarding the next maintenance day (this saturday 21st Nov) as sent out by Grant from NPWS.
Hi All,
This Saturday we will be heading out into the Temptation Creek area again to do some much needed drainage works up on the top trail and if we have enough people we’ll do some works down around the rock ledge section as well. I’ve attached the registration forms for anyone not signed up yet, just give them to me on the day if possible.
It’s going to be hot this Saturday so bring plenty of water.
It’s the usual 9.00 meet up time in the office car park on Farnell Ave – turn left 100 metres past the entry station booth on Farnell.
Hope to see you all there.
Cheers,
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